Do You Know Which House Plants Are Safe For Pets?

Sleek, chic and tropical; indoor plants are an easy and inexpensive way to breathe life back into a drab interior. Pleasing to the eye, they’re also bursting with health benefits! Did you know that indoor plants can:

Improve Air Quality

NASA has been researching the impact of plants on air quality for a while now, and they’ve discovered that plants can remove trace levels of toxins from a tightly sealed room, and even remove small amounts of carbon monoxide and formaldehyde from the air. Environmental pollution is everywhere and is especially potent if you live near a big city.

Lower Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is a surefire way to trigger stress in your home. But plants can actually reduce noise pollution by absorbing sound through their stems, leaves, and bark. Like carpeting over hardwood floors, plants can also refract sounds and reduce interior echoes.Repel Mosquitos

Repel Mosquitos

Mosquitos are a real drag during the summer months. But certain types of plants can actually repel mosquitos.

Deter Illness

Poor indoor air quality can sometimes trigger colds and the flu during peak months. Not only do indoor plants improve air quality, they also increase indoor humidity. While this may not sound optimal during the hot summer months, humidity helps deter dry coughs and sore throats. Some studies show that humidity helps curb the transmission of the flu virus.

But although plants are great for people, not all of them are right for our homes. Especially if we have pets. Certain indoor plants are actually pretty poisonous if ingested by your cat or dog! Not every pet is a naughty nibbler, and if you already have a potentially toxic plant in your home consider moving it safely out of reach from paws and jaws. There’s something very romantic about a leafy plant cascading down the side of a bookshelf; it’s also a great hack to make sure your small dog can’t get to it. Alternatively, you can also spray your indoor and outdoor plants with lemon juice mixed with water to keep curious noses at bay! Cats and dogs hate the smell of lemons, so if you have a pet that likes to chew on everything, consider adding lemon spray to even non-toxic plants to keep them in tip- top shape.

Although there’s nothing quite like the sight and scent of lilies, it’s best to keep them out of your home if you have pets and young children. Lily-of- the-Valley and Peace Lilies are both highly toxic. They contain calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause the tongue to swell dramatically.

If you suspect that your pet has eaten something toxic, call your vet at once. If you’re dealing with a midnight snack that has gone horribly wrong, you can call the pet poison helpline 24-hours a day, although they charge a $65 consultation fee.

21 Comments

What a great read – and how well presented! We have three dogs and two cats at home, and ours are constantly knocking over the plants (the kids are pretty good at it too!) I hadn’t put any thought into whether our plants are pet safe or not before reading so thanks for the great (if slightly worrying) info. I will be sure to check them now!Richard Gibson recently posted…Free Gym Membership!

This is really helpful. I would recommend this to my mom, because we have pets in our house and she’s worried that they might eat the plants she recently bought which is might not that safe for them. I think she will be happy for this. Thank you. 🙂

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